Wind turbines have been used by humans for a long time. As early the 17th century B.C. it is said that King Hammurabi organized a system of wind power devices having a vertical axis for irrigation and grinding grain. Over time the turbines have improved. Wind turbines have also been proposed with different shapes and forms. However the vast majority of these designs for various reasons prove to be inefficient.
The most common wind turbine structure is the horizontal axis wind turbine having long blades. Such horizontal axis wind turbines are inefficient because such mechanisms essentially only harvest the wind energy from winds in a direction that is aligned with the axis of the shaft. Such windmills require large towers placed at high altitude for greatest efficiency.
Other turbine designs have been proposed including those with a vertical axis. These have mostly proven to be inefficient because only a portion of the turbine receives wind power at any given time. Because of the noted issues, it is apparent that there exists a need in the art to overcome the deficiencies and limitations described herein and above. The present invention provides a wind turbine with a novel construction that helps reduce or eliminate these difficulties mentioned above.
Horizontal axis wind turbines with tall towers and long blades are difficult to transport. They are also expensive to build and to transport. Transportation to the operational site may cost as much 20% of the equipment cost. The tall towers and long blades also make these turbines difficult to install and require powerful cranes and skilled operators. Also, such devices produce noise that annoys those who live in surrounding areas where these structures are placed and may even affect radar at airports. Accordingly, such devices require careful monitoring; otherwise they are prone to material fatigue and structural damage. Wind energy facilities can adversely impact wildlife, especially birds and bats, and their habitats.